A Fashion Brief

There is a page on Facebook for just about every collection of people imaginable.  I love how social media has given people the chance to gather and offer support with hundreds or even thousands of miles between them.  The group that has helped me the most in the last year is for people enduring the I-601 (Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility) process.  We talk about our hopes and fears knowing that the other people in the group have the ability to understand what we are going through.

I need to be able to talk to someone about how I can’t buy the new shoes that Liliana so desperately needs, without some idiotic response about how they simply can’t buy a new iPad until next week because they’re totally tapped out.  I mean how does the fact that my daughter needs shoes because the old pair finally fell to pieces have to do with your sudden longing for a new iPad?  Maybe I want an iPad too, but I know the difference between wanting something and needing something.

It’s important that I don’t have to explain why I live with my parents and can’t get any state or federal assistance.  We all need someone to lean on that will not make a snap judgment based on what their father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate had to say last Tuesday after such-and-such Politian voiced their opinion on something which they interpreted as gospel.

I was having a horrible day when I tuned into my Facebook support group.  The conversations were interesting, but there was one in particular that caught my attention.  One of the ladies had been looking at the NAMUS website and posed a question to the group about Hispanic men and their apparent love of fashion bikini briefs.  That observation was the start of one of the most entertaining conversations I ever participated in and it pulled me out of my dark mood like nothing else had been able to.  We spoke of plain, colorful, and animal print bikini briefs (particularly the zebra prints bikinis worn by an ‘acquaintance’ of one of the group member from back before she was married).  We debated the reason for the bikini briefs and discovered another thing we all had in common; the introduction of boxer shorts into our men’s wardrobe.  There were several points during that discussion where I laughed until I had tears streaming from my eyes!

I truly appreciate each and every one of you, the I-601 ladies.  I hope that zebra print will live on and make us all smile on our darkest days.

“I asked the Zebra,
are you black with white stripes?
Or white with black stripes?
And the zebra asked me,
Are you good with bad habits?
Or are you bad with good habits?
Are you noisy with quiet times?
Or are you quiet with noisy times?
Are you happy with some sad days?
Or are you sad with some happy days?
Are you neat with some sloppy ways?
Or are you sloppy with some neat ways?
And on and on and on and on and on and on he went.
I’ll never ask a zebra about stripes...again.”

― Shel Silverstein “The Zebra Question”

Ciao

Quiz Time!

I’ve gone and stolen Lisa’s June quiz from her blog From one Country to Another, I hope she doesn’t mind!

1. How did your hubby pop the big question?

There was no question popping for us.  Alberto had just been bailed out from ICE Detention by yours truly, when I peed on the stick that changed everything.  It was about 2 days after he was home with me when I finally took a pregnancy test.  The symptoms were there before Thanksgiving; however they got forgotten and ignored during my epic freak-out over his arrest.  Together we made the decision to find an attorney and go through the process, and the first step was getting married.

I bought the marriage license, made the appointment with a judge, and bought myself a ring.  Alberto showed up at the appointed time and place; and we were married on a Thursday afternoon during my lunch break.

2. What Jewelry do you wear daily?

I always have three pairs of earrings on; 2 pairs of hoops, and a pair of Mexican fire opal studs.  I have my cadena with my medallion of the virgin, confirmation cross, and locket. Currently I have my wedding ring and a right hand ring on, although I often will wear the ring bought me for our 6 month anniversary. 

Pins and Needles

Today is the day I talk about my newest obsession: PINTEREST!  I was introduced to this addictive website by a coworker almost a year ago, but I never actually took the time to look at the site until recently.  I was in need of a distraction, which Pinterest most definitely is.  I have pinned more projects than I will probably ever be able to complete!  I really think pinning is the best part, although some of the things I’ve pinned I really want to try.

My favorite topic is all about the bucks; how can I save a few making things myself?  Homemade laundry solutions (detergent, stain remover, oxy-clean, & fabric softener), household cleaners, and diy market bags (old t-shirts!) top my list of fascinating things to do.  Mom says I am forbidden from making my own detergent in her house since she believes I would just make a horrible mess.  After looking at my room again just now I’m inclined to agree with her assessment.

Safe & Sound

Alberto was deported by our beloved government on Wednesday, August 1st.  He left the US on a government plane and flew 2,000 miles away from the family we created together.  I was frantic when I didn’t hear from him at all on Wednesday.  I finally got ahold of him on Thursday afternoon when I called la Madrina’s / Madra’s house.  He had arrived from the bus station less than 15 minutes before I called, and I have never been so relieved in my adult life.  He didn’t call me from the bus station after landing as he’d promised, because someone told him that some of the payphones in the bus stations are rigged to save the last number dialed.  Unscrupulous people can call that last number dialed and extort money saying the person was ‘kidnapped’.  Sneaky little bastards…

I know that Alberto is an adult and he knows how to take care of himself, but I felt the ice block in my chest begin to crack and melt from the moment I was able to talk to him.  Maybe it’s simply the novelty of being able to call and talk to my best friend whenever I want.  I had to smile when he told me his priority after a shower and clean clothes was to searching out a taco cart and a haircut.